The Legend Hunters' Daughter
by yesiluvthestage
Summary: Being rewritten from top to bottom! This will be taken down soon! Read and review with what you would like to be added/changed to make the story better!
1. The Prints

Summary: When your parents are legend hunters, you tend to stop believing in things. Especially when they've found absolutely nothing, despite all their years of searching. So, when I moved to Forks and heard about the vampires and the shifters, you can understand why I was a little skeptical. That is, until I fell in love with a shapeshifter, and my parents starting hunting them.

**Okay, this is a story that my sister Bree and I are co-writing. I hope you like it! **

Chapter One: The Prints

Forks, Washington was the next place on my parents' to-do list. It was a system they had-stay in a place for two years, if you don't find anything, move on. Because of this, I had been all over the world. Greece for the Fates, Ireland for-and get this-_leprechauns,_ the Himalayas for the Abominable Snowman, and most recently, Mexico for the Chupacabra. For as long as I could remember, my parents had been searching for legends. Also for as long as I could remember, they hadn't found anything. Honestly, I thought their endless running around was pointless. I didn't understand why I had to be carted around for seventeen years so they could endlessly chase fairytales. It was ridiculous.

"Blakely! Dinner!" That was my mother calling, by the way. Lucy Connor, not that you could call her that to her face. No, it was always Doctor Connor. Same for my father. Really, all they had was like an associate's degree. I believe the majority of their money was inherited, seeing as my parents' jobs didn't pay too well. I sighed and got up from the window. There hadn't been much to see out there, just watery green blurs mixed with a gray-blue sky. Nothing special. I made my way downstairs to where my parents were looking over a bunch of maps and internet print-outs while eating Chinese take out. I surveyed the completely covered table. No room for me. I snatched my container of Lo Mein and chicken off the counter and stalked to the living room. "Don't spill on the new furniture!" Mom shouted after me. I could tell her mouth was full and I could practically see her pointing her fork at me to show she meant business. I rolled my eyes. Whatever. I scarfed down my food while flipping through the channels. Nothing good was on-figures. I settled for a beach volleyball tournament on NBC, already missing the sun in Mexico. When I was done eating, Japan was up three to nothing on the USA, and quite frankly, I was embarrassed. I threw my carton in the trash and washed the grease of my hands at the sink. I stared at my parents, who were still peering over their glasses at all the too-small print. I sighed, waiting for them to look up. They didn't, so I spoke up.

"I think I'm going to go for a drive…if that's okay?" I glanced at the clock. It was already nine o'clock and we had just gotten here yesterday. I worried for a moment that my parents wouldn't let me go. I should have known better.

"Mhhmm," they replied in unison. Really, what was the point of parents, you know aside from the whole 'destroying-my-life' thing? Okay, I'll admit it, that was a little melodramatic, but you get the point. I got my car keys off the mantle and jogged outside, trying to avoid getting totally soaked. Even though the temperature was probably around 80 degrees outside, I turned the heater on as soon as I hopped into my little black Honda Civic. The rain made me cold.

I didn't know my way around very well yet, so I mostly just located places I knew I would need to know. Forks High, the supermarket. I looked around forever for a running track, but to no avail. Evidently it was too wet here for outdoor sports. What did people do all day? Play ping pong?

After a while, I just drove in a straight line, looking for any place interesting to spend the rest of my summer vacation. I eventually reached a small, worn down sign saying "Welcome to La Push, Home of First Beach". I pressed down hard on the gas pedal-a beach sounded amazing right about then. I turned up the radio and rolled down my window, trying to tune out the world. It was going really well until I got pulled over.

I saw the flashing lights before I heard the car. I groaned and pulled off onto the shoulder. I felt a presence come up beside my already opened window, and I looked up into the face of a slightly heavyset, middle-aged man. He was smiling a crinkly-eyed baby smile that lit up his whole face, even his chocolate brown eyes.

"Evening, Officer." I grumbled. His badge said Charlie Swan.

"Good evening." He was still smiling. "I've been behind you for a while, and I noticed the change in your speed a few miles back." He pointed, as if I was unaware of where I had just come from. I just shrugged, not knowing what to say. He squinted and leaned down, obviously trying to place me. "I don't recognize you. You new around here?"

"Yes sir," I replied, remembering my manners. "My family just moved here yesterday." He nodded.

"That's great. My daughter Bella just moved here last year. Maybe…you could be her friend." What interested me most about his sentence was the way he had said _I _could be _her _friend. As if _she_ needed a friend more than the new girl did. Interesting.

"Yeah," I answered, despite my confusion. "That'd be cool." We both were silent for a moment, looking anywhere except at each other.

"Well, considering the circumstances, I suppose I'll let you off with a warning." He was grinning in a joking manner, so I knew I wasn't _actually _in trouble. Apparently, living in a small town gave you a sort of leeway with the law. That made exactly one upside to moving there.

"Thank you, Officer." I said. He chuckled and stuck a hand in my window.

"Please, call me Charlie." I smiled and shook.

"Okay, Charlie. I'm Blakely Connor." He nodded his head, as if he were tipping a hat, and stepped backwards.

"Have a good evening, Miss Connor. Drive safely." And he disappeared into the drizzly night back to his car. I watched his lights turn around and head back towards Forks. When I could no longer see his car in my mirrors, I pulled back out onto the road to La Push, keeping my speed at a steady 60. I checked my clock as I drove-it was nearly ten thirty. I checked my phone next, but there were no missed calls or text messages. So, my parents weren't worried. What if I had been eaten by a bear? They would probably just be angry to stop their searchings to have to plan my funeral.

No. I didn't mean that. My parents cared about me; I knew that, they were just…a little too busy most of the time to show it. We had an odd relationship.

I started seeing the first houses of La Push then. They were small, but tasteful. Many of them were two stories, made of wood and painted in cute pastel colors. Lots of yellows, whites, and pale blues. The windows all had old fashioned shutters, and most of the homes had porches, a few of which held porch swings. I could imagine sitting out there, sipping lemonade and reading a book as if I lived in the South. It was nice. I kept driving, and the forests thinned out. I followed the signs directing the way to First Beach, and I parked in a vacant lot when I reached it. After a quick scan, I realized that the beach was deserted. Just as well, considering it was nearly eleven. But it was the summer, there was bound to be at least one person out, right? I got out and locked the car, although I doubted anyone would steal it in a place like this. Old habits die hard. Luckily, it wasn't raining here, but the wind was whipping my long dark hair into my face, making it possible to see. I threw it into a messy ponytail as I walked. I decided to take off my Vans before I reached the sand-it would save me clean up time later-and I left them beside the parking lot. I rolled up my jeans, then made my way out towards the water.

It was beautiful. The full moon reflected off the almost black water, making it appear as if I was seeing double. The sand was actually clean. I could have stayed there for hours analyzing it, but I wanted to be home by midnight. So, I set out at a jog along the shoreline. It didn't matter that I was in jeans- I was born to run. The sand squished in my toes, and I felt giddy, truly happy, as I ran. I forgot about my parents, forgot that I was in a completely foreign place, forgot my name. In that moment, my life was perfect.

That was when I came upon the footprints. They were normal, human, but massive. They were paced far apart, as if someone very tall had been running in long strides. They started at the water line and veered to the right, towards a wooded area I hadn't noticed before. I followed them. Why, I had no idea whatsoever. They were only footprints. I ran along side them, enjoying the mystery. Where were they leading? Who had been there? It was all very exciting, until I reached the dirt under the first cover of trees. I froze, a hand flying to cover my mouth in surprise. I bit back a gasp. There on the ground, where human footprints had been mere inches ago, were the gigantic paw prints of an animal.

**Review! **


	2. Contemplating & Getting Distracted

The Legend Hunters' Daughter

Chapter Two: Contemplating the Universe and Getting Distracted

"911. What's your emergency?"

"Yes, I'm on the beach near La Push…by gate 17…"

"Is someone drowning?"

"No, an animal has taken someone."

"What kind of animal?"

"I don't know, some sort of big dog, a wolf maybe. The prints are about twice the size of my foot."

"Is there any blood?"

Oddly enough, that was the first time I really looked at the scene. The animal footprints were exactly in line with the human ones, going the same direction, starting right where the next human step would be. The prints didn't look deep enough for the animal to have been waiting and with footprints that size, it would've been quite evident to the mystery person if the animal had been waiting. Whoever that person was surely would've been able to see that big hulking mass of an animal.

"Miss, is there any blood?"

"No. No, there's not."

"Alright, someone will be there shortly."

She sounded slightly annoyed, like she didn't quite believe me. Perhaps she thought I made it all up, but who doesn't like to make fake 911 calls on their first night in town? I mean, come on, that's the way to get off on a good foot. Still mulling over the operators skepticism, I stepped back away from the scene, realizing I was probably contaminating whatever evidence the police might need. I plopped down a few feet from where the tracks switched and just waited, response time out here was sure to be severely lacking. I stretched out on my back, looking up at the stars as I had done a million times before. That's the beautiful things about the stars: they're always there. Sure, some cities you look up and all you can see are two, but they are stars nonetheless. And okay, the same constellations aren't seen at the same time around the world, but they're still there, hovering above every night when I think about how I would like things to be. Cassiopeia is where I wish I didn't have to move around just when I started to make friends. The North Star is where I wish that just once I wouldn't have to explain to people what my parents do. I use Orion's entire belt to wish my parents cared about something that wasn't make believe, you know, like me maybe.

I was snapped from my childish wishing by rustling from behind me. Like any jungle trained girl, I grabbed a tree branch prepared to ward off whatever was dumb enough to come out of the forest. I was surprised, to say the least, when a guy- attractive, tan, dark hair, practically twice my height (slight exaggeration, but you get the picture)- stepped out. I was so surprised in fact, that I dropped the branch on the trail. Nice play, Shakespeare.

"What are you doing out here this late?" He didn't even introduce himself, just jumped right in judging my actions as if I were doing something ridiculous, like he didn't just step out of the forest in the middle of the night. Then again, he looked like he could take care of himself, whereas I, average height and cross country build, probably couldn't have handled really anything that might have happened. In that moment, though I was used to being alone, I actually felt afraid for the first time. It wasn't his fault; I mean, his eyes were warm brown that looked accepting and safe, and he looked genuinely concerned for me.

"What are you doing out here this late?" he asked again. I was going to have to stop drifting off like that. Wow. Old habits really do die hard.

"I came out for a run and started following some footprints and this is where they ended and some pretty frightening animal tracks began." All the warmth and acceptance drained from his eyes then, from his entire being really. His hands clenched into fists and his mouth pulled tight. He was not happy.

"Who are you?" He demanded it, not politely, and he looked like he would do whatever he needed to for his answer. I really was not brave enough to test him. No, it wasn't even a matter of courage: I was not dumb enough to test him.

"Blakely Connor, from Mexico, Nepal, Greece, and all the other places of the world that claim to be home to mythical creatures," I replied, determined to give him a satisfactory answer. I doubted he would give me a second chance to answer. "My family just moved to Forks. This is actually my second night here."

He remained just as tense. I had seen him shift uncomfortably when I mentioned mythical creatures, so I jumped on a potential connection. "I'm not a fan of mythical creatures either. All they do is stir up insatiable hopes and generally mess up my life. I honestly can't think of one legend that has even an ounce of truth to it." His shoulders fell and his posture relaxed, and I followed suit.

"What do you mean by that?" the curious and concerned look returned and I felt accomplished. Perhaps, this whole meeting wasn't going to become the worst first impression in the history of the world. There I went again, hoping that everything would just work out for me. He heard the sirens at least a minute before I did.

"What did you do?" he growled, low and guttural. It was strange: I had to tell him, all lies, justifications and attempts to salvage this conversation, just left, only the truth was left.

"When I ran up on the tracks, I called 911. I thought an animal had taken someone. I still do actually, even though there isn't any blood, but I ruined the trail when I dropped that branch," I blurted, leaving out nothing. I hadn't noticed how close he had moved to me as I answered.

"You have to go now. Correction, _we _have to go now," he said, a pleading whisper. I found myself following him, chasing him really as he took off through the woods as flashing lights lit up the beach in panic-inducing blues and reds. We ran for quite some time until I finally realized I was following some boy I didn't even know into some god forsaken forest on the run from police, surprising it took so much to snap me back to reality, but you know, I get lost in my own head a lot.

"Where are we? Better question, who are you and why are we running from the police?" He answered calmly and confidently. "The woods near La Push. We should hit the road in about 3 minutes. My name is Jacob Black and we're running from the police because you prank called them."

"No, I had a legitimate reason." He looked at me condescendingly. Of course, I had ruined all of the evidence. What would I have said when the police arrived? 'Well, uh, there were these tracks, see, and, uh, I dropped a branch on them, so, uh, yea, that's why they aren't here anymore, but, uh, they definitely were here. No really.' Yea, that wouldn't have made me seem crazy. One point: Jacob.

We started walking again and I finally started thinking about things that were actually important, like what time it was, and why this incredibly attractive, but very obviously non-adult guy, just came out of the woods in the middle of the night. I quickly and very stealthily, I might add, glanced down at his feet: massive, just as I had suspected.

"It was you, wasn't it?" I mumbled, to myself. Jacob heard me though and whipped around with that look of intense fury, that already I was becoming accustomed to. "What happened? Are you alright?" I really don't know why I asked that second question. He was obviously much better off than I was, you know, in the cool, calm, and generally not freaking out department. Though, as I began to look him over, I noticed how worn his clothes looked, tattered and old. Why I didn't notice obvious things like that from the beginning, I'll never know. I also didn't find out 1) if it was him, 2) what happened, or 3) if he was okay because, of course, right then, we reached my car. I swear, I had never hated my car until that moment.

Jacob looked at me defensively. Clearly, it was time for me to go. I pulled my keys out of my pocket, very awkwardly, not at all how I wanted to be seen by this boy. As I fumbled with the lock, I asked as casually as I could manage, if he wanted a ride home, informing him that his parents would be worried and that it was the least I could do, ultra-charming, I know. I was not surprised at all though when he declined with very little of that original warmth. Sulking, I got into my car and drove away, as Jacob stood watching as if the power of his gaze would make my car leave faster. Needless to say, this was hardly an auspicious start for my stay in Forks. I could only imagine how my first day of school would go.


	3. Two Visitors in One Day Really?

Chapter Three: Two Visitors in One Day. Really?

Two weeks, I thought as I drove home. Two weeks to make friends and attempt to fit in here before school started. I sighed. What was the point anyway? Forks would be just like everywhere else. My parents would search and search, and when they found nothing, we would move again. I took comfort in the fact that this was my last year of high school. I could graduate and go to college wherever I wanted. I relished in the thought of spending a whole four years, maybe even more, in one place.

It wasn't until I was almost back home that I realized I had left my shoes at First Beach.

"Crap," I muttered, smacking my hand against the steering wheel. It was on its way to one a.m. That and the fact that the cryptic Jacob was still there added up to this: there was no way I was returning to La Push tonight. I drove the rest of the way home grouchy as all get out. I slammed the door when I got inside, which would probably tick most parents off, but mine didn't even look up from their work.

"Did you have a nice time?" My mom called from the kitchen table. Really, how were they still looking at those maps? Forks was not that big-how much land was there to memorize?

"Sure, Mom. It was just swell."

"That's great!" she replied enthusiastically. Really, Mom? How did you miss the sarcasm there? But then again, she wouldn't know sarcasm if it had her in a head lock. I didn't say anything else, just climbed the stairs and went into my new bedroom. A sudden wave of exhaustion crashed into me, knocking me onto my bed and under the covers without giving me a chance to change clothes. I couldn't tell if my lights were still on or not, and I honestly didn't care. All I wanted was to sleep….

I woke up to bright sunlight streaming in through my window. Ha. Yeah. Right. It was storming out, but that wasn't what woke me up. Someone was knocking on my bedroom door. I rolled over on my side and glanced at the clock. 7:30 shined back at me in neon green print. I moaned into my pillow.

"Who is it?" I mumbled, not minding if they could hear me or not. The door opened and in walked my mom, wearing crisp white capris and a sleeveless yellow blouse. Sure, Mother. Come on in.

"Morning, sweetie. I was just hopping in to tell you that your father and I are going to spend the day exploring. We'll probably go to Port Angeles and Seattle." She paused. What was she waiting for? My permission?

"Okay," I shrugged, sitting up. I knew I wouldn't be falling back asleep.

"We most likely won't be back until late tonight, but we have our cell phones if you need us." She shifted her balance to her other foot, seeming uncomfortable. "You can fend for yourself, right?" she asked, as if I hadn't been doing so my entire life. I nodded at her, and she smiled and left. I watched out my window as she and my father loaded up in their jeep and drove away. I couldn't suppress a little sadness at the sight of them leaving me alone, again. Resigning myself to the fact that I was awake now, I got out of bed and showered. I left my hair down so that it could dry and pulled on some shorts and a tank top. I was _going _to run, whether there was a track or not. As I was lacing up my Puma's downstairs, I heard the doorbell ring. I cocked my head, wondering who it could be, and went to answer it. I wrenched the door open without bothering to ask who it was, and was staring in the face of a dripping wet Jacob Black. In his hands were my Vans. He thrust them at me.

"You left these in La Push," he explained with a warm smile. I grabbed them away from him and set them on the floor behind me.

"Thanks." I replied coldly. Really, if I had known the return of my beloved Vans would mean a visit from Jacob, I could've just done without the shoes. He stared back at me, completely unfazed by my hostility.

"You're welcome," he answered brightly. What was with this kid and his ridiculously happy alter ego? Neither of us said anything and he just stood there with a goofy grin on his face. Finally, I got fed up.

"Was there something else you wanted, Jacob?" I asked him, point blank. He shook his head.

"Nope. Just welcoming you to the neighborhood." Oh dear God, _please _tell me he doesn't live anywhere near here. But I simply said,

"Oh, you live in Forks?"

"No, no, I live in La Push, on the reservation." Ah. That made sense. That was at least a twenty minute drive from here, though, probably thirty considering his ancient truck parked in my driveway.

"That's kind of a long drive just to say hello." I pointed out. I suspected an ulterior motive for his visit and I was not disappointed. He sighed and looked down.

"Listen, about whatever you_ think _you saw last night, just forget it, okay?" He ran a hand through his short black hair. I thought about arguing, but I just kept my mouth shut. "We get a lot of wild animals, it's nothing unusual. Our people know what's out there and they know better than to go into the forest at night." He continued. I raised an eyebrow, but again said nothing. He put his hands in his pockets. "Well, that's all I guess. Um, bye, Blakely." I nodded at him and he turned to go.

"Hey!" I shouted after him. He stopped in his tracks. "How'd you know where I live?" I was honestly curious. He smirked at me condescendingly.

"You're new in a small town. It wasn't that hard to figure out." And then he was gone.

I didn't bother shutting the door after him, seeing as I was about to leave anyways. I knelt, laced up my other shoe, and stood back up, pulling my hair into a ponytail. I stretched for a few minutes before heading outside and closing the door.

The rain had subsided a bit, so running wasn't completely unbearable. I set off at a fast run, one that I would be able to keep at for awhile without getting tired. I smiled as I felt all my thoughts and worries leave me. It was only the rain, the pavement, and me. I loved the feel of my feet pounding on the ground and the wind blowing onto my face. Surprisingly, the rain didn't hinder me at all. I couldn't remember when I had started this whole running routine. I only knew that it was virtually the only constant in my life, the only thing I had no matter where on Earth I went-running and the stars, my true family. I ran until my legs were numb from the cold of the rain and fatigue, and then I walked home. I showered again and put on jeans and a t-shirt before going to the kitchen to make some hot cocoa. I rolled my eyes as I sipped at it. Only in Washington could you need a hot drink in August. I was just about to settle in on the couch for a movie when my doorbell rang, for the second time that day. I stood up with a groan, muttering,

"So help me Jacob Black!" as I made my way to the door. So I was surprised to see Charlie Swan, with a beautiful, yet sickly looking girl behind him.

"Office-I mean, Charlie!" I exclaimed. "It's nice to see you!" Did I mean that?

"Hello, Blakely. We were just stopping in to say hi. We brought you a lasagna that my daughter made. Speaking of, this is Bella." He stepped aside a little bit and I got a better look at his daughter. We were about the same height and she had long dark brown hair, a few shades lighter than mine. It was stringy, as if she hadn't been taking good care of it. She had very pretty brown eyes, but they held no feeling in them. Her skin was frighteningly pale and she had deep shadows under her eyes. Did she sleep? She was really thin, too, and her bony arms were wrapped around her torso. She looked as if she was going anorexic. Truthfully, it was scary- that image of her has stayed with me ever since then. I wondered what had happened to make her look that way.

"Hi, Bella!" I said as kindly as I could. This girl looked like she needed all the generosity she could get.

"Hey," she replied softly without looking up. Her voice was raspy. I got the feeling she hadn't used it much recently.

"Well," Charlie jumped back into the conversation. "There's a big party down at Billy Black's place in La Push tomorrow evening. He told me to invite you and your family." Oh no.

"Billy _Black?"_ I asked him. Of course he was related to Jacob. Of course.

"Yes. Really, though, you should come. Bella will be there." He was practically begging now, and I could tell he was asking more for Bella's benefit than mine. I couldn't say no, regardless of who would be there.

"I can't tell you if my parents will show up, but I'll try my best to go." I grinned.

"Your folks busy a lot?" Charlie asked.

"Um…yeah, you could say that." I answered with a chuckle. I saw Bella's eyes flash when I said that. There had been a feeling in them for a split second…sympathy maybe? I wasn't sure.

"Alright, well, we'll be going then. See you tomorrow night, Blakely." He gave me a sheet of paper with the address and information for the party, and then I closed the door with a polite wave at them. I was on my way back to the living room when I noticed a movement in the kitchen window. Stupidly, I ran outside and around to the side of the house. What I planned to do to whoever was out there, we'll never know. But, there wasn't anyone outside as far as I could see. Only, as I trudged back inside (feeling like a complete idiot, might I add) I could've sworn I saw a giant russet-colored blur streak through the trees.


	4. Awkward

Chapter Four: Awkward Encounters, or Who Put You Up to This?

I took off in a full sprint back outside to catch the blur. Despite the fact that I had just run, I was still able to keep it in my sight. By no means was I gaining, but I was definitely holding my own, that is, until my phone rang.

"Yes," I moaned, breathless, slowing to a stop, completely unable to keep annoyance out of my voice. Seriously, though, people were forever taking me away from things I wanted to do. Isn't that a thing: people should be able to do at least a few things that they want in their lives, right? Then again, what in my life ever made me conceive such a notion?

''Uh, yea, it's Bella. We met today, the lasagna and all that." She spoke softly, though that seemed like an understatement. Her voice was barely audible, wavering on every syllable, like she might break down in tears at any moment. What had happened to her? People just weren't naturally that fragile. I'd say, people all started at about the same point, and then when bad things happen they turn to glass or to stone. This Bella girl was obviously the former; personally, I aligned more with the latter.

"Yes, of course. It was only a few hours ago." Immediately, I felt the tension break free. Now, I understood. She hadn't wanted to call me in the first place. I was just a pawn in some act to appease Charlie most likely. I knew plenty of kids who had to actually work to keep their parents from worrying, so I recognized the game. Now on the same page, I could play my role much better. "But I'm glad you called. We didn't really get to talk much earlier and you're the first girl I've met here. Did you want to do something? Or what did you have in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking you might come over and we could get ready for the party together," she replied unenthusiastically. I pretended not to notice. That's the key to good friendship: pretend you don't see how you're being used. Wow, that was bitter, but I won't say it's not true.

"Sounds great. What time should I come over?"

"Around 6 should be fine. Well, that was really all. I'll talk to you later. Bye," she rushed, but even that was monotonous. She hung up before I could even reply. I could tell that this was going to be awkward already. I would be her friend in appearance only, there just to keep Charlie from worrying so much. It was nice of her to think of Charlie. I was frustrated that, yet again, no one thought of me. However, I was determined in some small way to be her actual friend. We might not have been off to an auspicious start, but if any two people ever needed a real friend, it was me and this Bella character.

Rather than wallow in self-pity, I decided to walk back home, not quite sure of which direction to take, since I obviously hadn't been paying attention. Basically, I turned the opposite direction and hoped that was where my house was, fairly logical. I suppose, if I had been feeling scientific, I could've followed my footprints, but it definitely wasn't even that serious. I didn't have any plans for the rest of the day; I could afford to get lost for a few hours.

I walked slowly, more of a trudge really, watching my nice running shoes sink down into the mud. I would definitely be cleaning those when I made it home. Head down, not how I typically walked, suited this place. It kept the rain out of my face and made me look as generally dreary as the sky; it made me fit in. I suppose that was comforting in its own weird way. Why was I thinking that? I would have to stop drifting off like that if I hoped to have any friends in this town. I suppose it's a good thing that I decided to pay attention to the outside world. Right then, I saw them, a pair of pants tied to a tree. Odd, to say the least.

I sat down by the tree and waited. People don't just leave pants tied to trees. It wasn't like when you see some random shoe on the side of the road. These had been placed here on purpose and someone was going to come back for them. That person would be pantless. Oh dear. To avoid a potentially awkward situation, I sat facing away from the pants but leaning on them, so whoever it was would have to ask for them, but I wouldn't be looking when he asked. This was easily the best plan I'd had all day, and it gave me time to contemplate why someone would tie pants to a tree….because he likes to walk in the forest naked? Um, because he felt like the pants weighed him down? Really, though, why would someone tie pants to a tree?

A twig snapped behind me. I wanted to whip around and look, but reminding myself that this person might be naked, I restrained myself and asked calmly, "Who's there?"

"Just give me my pants," he answered gruffly, he, of course, being Jacob Black. The voice was unmistakable, especially since he'd caused me so much trouble in the past day.

"Before I do that, do you want to tell me why you tied your pants to a tree?"

"Not particularly," he answered nonchalantly. Gah, I could just imagine the smug look on his face.

"That's too bad because that's the trade," I replied coolly, trying to match his carefree control. That's an oxymoron, but whatever, it's Jacob Black, he's full of surprises.

"What a shame. I guess you'll just have to hold onto those for a while then."

A loud popping filled the forest and I didn't know what to do. I waited, still afraid of getting to know Jacob a little more than I wanted to. I counted to 20 and turned around. The forest was empty except a little tuft of russet fur stuck in a nearby tree. What kind of place was this?

No longer on a trail, I resumed my trudge back to my house, carrying Jacob's pants, Jacob's torn up, tattered, mud-covered pants. I've heard you shouldn't go to a party empty handed; I knew just what I was taking to that little get together tomorrow. I sighed heavily; I still had to get through today and that pre-party thing with Bella.

I made it back home, turned on the music loud enough to fill the entire house with pounding bass and awesome riffs, and got to work cleaning my shoes. I cleaned meticulously, clearing every crevice, treating every stain; it was all very therapeutic. The music kept me from drifting and the task gave me something to focus on. I was dead to the world, not thinking, just singing along when the music struck me, or standing silent if I faced a particularly tough area of mud. I finished, put my shoes in my room, took a shower, put on some comfy clothes and grabbed a book. I was prepared for a typical evening in the empty Connor house, which is why I was thoroughly surprised when my parents arrived with dinner.

"Turn down that music. Better yet, just turn it off," my mom shouted. I clicked the remote and the house plummeted into silence; the better to be filled with awkwardness. I shuffled into the kitchen, ready to help or whatever. "We finished early, thought we might have a family dinner." Note to self: check for signs of alien abduction.

We worked together to clear the table actually bothered to put the takeout on actual plates. It was sort of nice. We all sat down, and it was kind of awkward because I didn't know what to say, but my dad spoke up first, sparing us all from too much agony. "You do know why we're here don't you?" he asked.

I bit back the response I wanted to give. Instead I answered, "We're here so you can find some legendary creature, capture it, and present it to the world." Still slightly bitter, but better than what I was going to say.

"Yes, but do you know which legendary creature?"

"No, I don't think either of you ever mentioned it, and I wasn't too curious. My mind was elsewhere," I hinted, trying to steer the conversation in a new direction.

Dad barreled on, though. "We're here to find vampires. They're supposed to be very pale, sometimes with dark circles under their eyes, slender. Keep on the lookout; we've also heard they go out during daylight."

I don't know why I said what I said. Maybe I was feeling vindictive, or dumb. Or maybe, I wanted my parents' attention or maybe I was just stressing out about everything going on, but before I realized what I was doing, I blurted, "I met a vampire today. Her name is Bella Swan."


	5. Fake Friends?

The Legend Hunters' Daughter

Chapter Five: Fake Friends and Stupid Parties

I watched in horror as my mom's chewing slowed and my father dropped his fork. No one seemed to notice that it splattered food all over the table. Their eyes were wide with raw, childish excitement and I wondered at the monsters I had just unleashed. I didn't really think Bella was a vampire…did I?

But then, they started laughing. Side-splitting, tear-jerking laughter. I scowled.

"Oh, honey," my mom said, patting my hand in the most condescending way possible. "It takes a very trained eye to spot things like vampires. And I'm sorry, sweetie, but I just don't think you have the gift." Dang. And I was _really _planning on my ability to locate imaginary creatures as a future money-maker. I guess I would just have to plan on being a burger-flipper instead.

Again, I ask, really, Mother?

"Darn," I breathed by means of response. My dad frowned, as if he actually felt sorry about this fact, and I excused myself. Sometimes my parents were extremely difficult to be around.

Once I was in my room, I changed clothes and got into bed, knowing I would need rest for the next day.

I woke up late the following morning. I was feeling nervous about Bella's house and the party, so I went for a run first thing to calm my nerves. This time, I listened to my iPod as I went. It drowned out the world around me. Mission accomplished-no worries.

I made it back to my house a little after lunch time. I found a note on the fridge telling me that my parents were out and about again and that I would be on my own for today. Again. I don't know why they bothered with notes anymore. I'm sure I could have figured it out that they weren't home by, I don't know, their absence, maybe? I'm not exactly stupid, if you haven't noticed. I crumpled the note, shot it into the trashcan, and raced upstairs to take a shower. I wanted to wash the odd mixture of sweat and cold rain off. When that was done, I dried off and pulled on some sweats until I decided on something to wear. I straightened my hair, opted against makeup, and strolled back to my mostly empty closet. What does one wear to a party on a beach that's nothing like a normal beach? I sighed at my dilemma. I had nothing to compare this situation against. Finally, I just pulled on denim shorts, a t-shirt from my high school in Mexico, and a jacket in case it rained. Just kidding. I brought the jacket for _when _it would rain. Precipitation anywhere near Forks was pretty much inevitable. I tugged my Vans on-curses on you, Jacob Black!-and went back downstairs to check the time. To my surprise, it was about time for me to leave. I got my car keys and my cell phone and left. Luckily, it wasn't raining yet.

I hadn't thought to ask Bella for directions, and I considered calling her for a second. However, I ended up just driving around street by street looking for her house. There weren't many neighborhoods in Forks, so it didn't take long to spot the two-story with the red, white, and blue police cruiser parked out front.

"Here goes nothing," I whispered, cutting off the ignition. I got out of the car, seriously concerned about the evening ahead of me. Bella was barely a ghost. I had a hard enough time conversing with normal people, let alone an apparition.

I knocked sharply three times then stepped away from the door. A very, _very _excited Charlie Swan answered it.

"Blakely!" he bellowed, enveloping me in a hug. I was so shocked that I stood stiff without hugging him back. He didn't seem to mind. "Bella's been expecting you." He beckoned me inside their home and I followed. The kitchen was to the right. It was painted a cheery faded yellow. I liked it. At the table, Bella sat, looking much the same as the day before. She was wearing a baggy grey t-shirt and jeans tucked into rain boots. Her hair was in a sloppy bun. Truthfully, her harshed-mellow demeanor contrasted nicely with the bright room around her.

"Hi, Bella," I murmured uncomfortably from the corner.

"Hey," she replied in the same tone. Charlie looked back and forth from me to her with a creepy smile, watching the exchange. He was starting to freak me out a little bit.

"Well," he clapped his hands together after a moment of silence. "I'll leave you two girls to it."

I really wish you wouldn't, Charlie. At least with you here, I have someone to blame the awkwardness on. Obviously, I said none of that. I just gave Charlie a plastic grin and nodded, and he wandered off to some other part of the small home. I sat down next to Bella and stared at her for a while until she looked up. I raised an eyebrow and she sighed.

"Please don't ask," she begged in a whisper. I raised my hands up in surrender.

"I'm sorry, I'm just wondering." I told her, by means of explanation. She just shrugged, leaned back and folded her arms.

"You're hiding something, too," she said quietly.

"Excuse me?" I gasped, shocked. She laughed, shaking her head. It wasn't a real laugh, not like the ones my parents had busted out last night. This was a rehearsed laugh, a well-delivered line.

"Your smile is as fake as mine, Blakely," she explained in a politely distant tone. I was flabbergasted. How could such a…_broken _girl see right through me, my pretenses, my sheer brick wall on our second meeting? But then I knew. It was because we were _both_ hiding. _It takes one to know one, _I suddenly thought.

"Touché," I granted her under my breath, and she gave me a weak, but genuine smile. It was because we were the same. We were both running away, and I suspected we had both been hurt by people we cared about. Maybe my situation wasn't as sudden and as intense as hers seemed to be, but still, we were similar.

"So, tell me about yourself," I suggested, honestly interested. She thought for a minute, probably sifting through every insignificant detail of her life searching for the most important.

"Um, I moved from Phoenix last year. My parents are divorced, have been since I was a baby. I lived with my mom Renee for a long time, but her new husband Phil is playing baseball on the road, and I know she wanted to be with him, so-,"

"You shipped yourself to Forks." I finished. It was easy enough to figure out.

"Exactly. And I-I like it here." She stuttered a bit, and it didn't take an idiot to figure out she was lying, at least partially. My guess was she _had _liked it here until whatever catastrophic event had occurred to make her world explode.

"What's your story?" she asked me. I thought about answering, then decided that it would be unfair. _My _story would reveal the reason for my act. Since she hadn't put forth information on _her _charade, I wouldn't be telling her about mine either. I smiled and shook my head.

"I'll tell you when you decide to tell me what hurt you so much."

"Fair enough," she agreed good-naturedly, then looked at the clock on her oven. "We should probably head out." She stood up and I followed suit. "Do you mind if we take your car? Mine is a little slow." She said when we got outside. She gestured to the monstrous (and extremely old school) red truck parked next to the cruiser. I chuckled and nodded. She hopped in the passenger seat, I got in on the driver's side, and we were off. I turned on quiet background music so there wouldn't be that eerie emptiness that's so unavoidable when riding in the car with a stranger. The car had been purring along for a little while when I came up with another question.

"How do you know the Blacks?" I had to work not to spit out the name. I had never taking a disliking to someone as quickly as I had to Jacob. It was the weirdest thing.

"Oh, my father has been friends with Billy for about as long as I can remember. Jake is a good buddy."

"Really?" I wasn't trying to be rude-it was just _really _hard to believe. She laughed, another real one. I was proud of myself for the progress we were making.

"Yeah. He's been acting strange lately, though. Ever since this one night at the movies a couple weeks ago, he hasn't been taking my calls or anything. I'm surprised he invited me to this little shindig. I thought he hated me." The pain in her voice was unmistakable, and I considered for a second that Jacob was the source of her problem- I wouldn't put his past him. But I knew she wouldn't tell me that easily, so it wasn't him. Dang it. I really would have loved to be able to hate him for something else.

I smiled at the way Bella had phrased her answer, and it confirmed my earlier thought that we could be friends. Anyone who used the word "shindig" was definitely alright in my book.

There wasn't really anymore important conversation after that, and we arrived in La Push soon. Again, I admired the houses. Bella relaxed noticeably the closer we got to the Black residence. I wondered what that was about. I drove until we had almost reached First Beach when I saw their house. It was small, like most other homes in La Push, but it seemed cozy enough. The entire party seemed to be congregated outside. Great. That meant everyone would notice our arrival.

There were about fifty people, most of them tall-what were they? Quileute, right?-, fit boys. They were seriously giant, and all of them were just as intimidating as Jacob was. I was somewhat frightened of getting out of the car. Bella rolled her eyes and tugged on my arm.

"Come on!" she urged, getting out. I had never thought I would see her so enthusiastic about something. I knew I would have to get out sometime, so I turned off the engine and opened my door slowly. I didn't know anyone here, besides Bella and Jacob, so I looked for where the former had run off to. I finally noticed her talking to an older man in a wheelchair. I joined them.

"I'm sure he'll be out soon," the man was saying comfortingly when I walked up. He smiled when he saw me. "Seeing as you're the only new face I see, you must be Blakely!" he exclaimed. I nodded sheepishly, suddenly feeling very shy.

"That's me." He shook my hand.

"Billy Black." Wow. He was related to Jacob? Interesting. "Did your folks make it?"

"Nope. They're busy." I answered. Bella shot me a look which I studiously ignored.

"Well, tell them they're welcome over anytime. Any friend of Charlie's is a friend of mine." Ah, so I was a friend of Charlie's now. Wonderful. "Speaking of, Bells, where is your old man?"

"I think he left a little while after us in the cruiser. He should be here soon." She told him. At that moment, an enormous figure came lumbering out of the house. It was Jacob, running his hand through his hair sleepily. He was in sweat pants cut off into shorts and a white t-shirt. Apparently he had just woken up from a nap. His unnaturally large feet were bare.

His focus immediately sharpened as he laid eyes on Bella.

"Hey, Bells," he said quietly. He was in love with her. Any blind fool could see that. I suddenly felt intrusive, and evidently Billy did, too because he wheeled away just as I thought about leaving myself.

"Um, I'll see you later, Bella," I told her hurriedly, then decided to go to my car to get Jacob's pants that I had left in the back seat. I could hear Jacob telling Bella that she looked great as I walked away. Yep. He was definitely in love with her. It didn't take me long to get the sweats, and then I was back next to Bella and Jacob. I noticed the way she looked at him. Like she cared about him and needed him, but she most definitely was not _in _love with him. Ouch. I wondered how Jacob felt about that. I waited until a pause in the conversation to butt back in.

"Jacob, here." I said, shoving the pants into his unsuspecting hands. The look on his face was so pricelessly surprised. Bella and I burst out laughing and Jacob's dark skin flushed.

"Thanks, Blakely." He replied. His voice confused me. It wasn't rude or arrogant like it had been the last time we had spoken. It was kind of nice. Like he was actually thanking me. What was his issue? His mood swings made me wonder if he was PMS-ing or something. Just then, a boy that looked similar to Jacob, only a little older, came running urgently up.

"Jake, you need to come now. It's important." I could tell by the way he stressed his words that something was wrong. Bella sensed it, too. She started hyperventilating and holding her torso again. It appeared to be a nervous habit.

"Bella?" Jacob choked out in a strangled voice. Her eyes were wild with fear as if someone was about to stab her.

"Don't leave me!" she whispered, eyes locked on Jacob. As a wolf howl ripped through the forest, Bella passed out.


	6. What the heck?

**sooo sorry for not updating in forever! to apologize, two new chapters are up (: thanks for being amazing! r&r!**

Chapter Six: What the Heck Am I Supposed to Do?

So, basically, a girl just passed out in front of me, and I had absolutely no idea what to do. I tried to recall years of lectures from health and biology and the best thing I could come up with was turn her head to the side so that she didn't choke on her own tongue. In addition to this panic-inducing event, Jacob and this other kid were doing some very suspicious things, namely, they were running into the forest where the scary noise came from.

"You mean we're going to go _towards_ the people who tried to kill us?" Really? Movie quotes? Now? Apparently _The Incredibles _was more important than all the craziness going on around me. Or maybe, that was just my brain trying to prevent itself from exploding. In any case, a crowd was growing around Bella, who was still grasping her heart despite her fall. That girl did not let go of things easily; she might want to learn to do that if she had any hopes of having a normal life. People who were far more capable than I pushed their way to the front and began rousing her. I shuffled out, feeling rather useless and suddenly overwhelmed by curiosity.

I looked towards the forest and then back at the crowd. I should stay with Bella. Then again, she had plenty of people with her. I took off running and didn't look back. If I did, I'd convince myself to stay. "People should get to do things they want," I thought to myself and kept on going.

Running through the forest was more difficult than I realized. The ground isn't level; branches reach out to scratch arms and legs; it's just largely unpleasant. Deeper into the forest, I began to hear other sounds: a voice as clear as bells, howls cutting the air, and the unmistakable sound of intense and deadly fighting. What kind of town is this? Honestly. I settled into a steady rhythm, but I didn't seem to make any headway. Step. Howl. Breath. Crash. Laughter. Step. What was going on? Howl. I wonder if that's the same wolf I've been seeing. Breath. Pants tied to a tree? Laughter. Why am I running towards this? I slowed. What was I doing? Is this something I wanted? No. I should be with Bella. What kind of friend was I being?

I began to turn back towards the party if it could still be called that. Someone's hand was around my throat, cold and menacing. I couldn't even bring myself to think "seriously". I practically expected something this horribly bad. My day had gone far too well up to this point. She whirled me around so that I saw the direction she had come. Awesome. Wolves, giant ones. Apparently, they were attacking this person, though what I had to do with this whole equation, I couldn't understand.

I decided to fight back at this point. She didn't have a gun, but those wolves certainly had teeth, and I was most definitely not going to stay around to see them put to use. I stepped on her foot with all the force I could muster; I swear it rattled my teeth, but she didn't even flinch. She looked at me with disdain and turned slowly back to the wolves.

She spoke. I felt as though my heart would melt. The sound was so perfect. If the voice had been coming from someone not holding me hostage, I bet just the sound of it could make me feel joy unspeakable for the rest of my life. As it was though, the voice seemed terrible and frightening, but awe-inspiringly lovely, nonetheless. "You will leave me alone or I will waste no time draining this girl." Draining? I'm not a bathtub. And, I can hear you. Just so you know. I didn't say that, actually, out loud to her; I'm not dumb either. The wolves were silent, unwavering, and also incredibly intimidating. I was covered in a cold sweat, mostly because I was panicking, and this freaking ice cube was keeping me quite close. I was trying to remember why I thought following screams into the forest was good idea. And then I thought of a much better question: Why in the world was this woman talking to wolves? Why that wasn't the first question I wanted answered, I'm not really sure, but I got there eventually, and that's really all that matters; better late than never, right?

With this question thrumming through my brain, I began to scrutinize the gargantuan wolves much more thoroughly. I looked for signs of understanding in their eyes. Why? I don't know. I don't think I actually thought they might respond; I just needed something to keep my mind off the fact that I was indeed in the middle of a hostage situation. I looked around the forest as much as I could. It resembled Forks, except there weren't any roads, but then again, much of this stupid town was just trees and wet earth. I strained to get a look at my captor. She was obviously a woman, gorgeous, tall, long dark hair. She had a strong jaw line, one that suggested a zero tolerance attitude towards anyone who tried to stand against her. I could feel her willowy fingers around my neck and couldn't help but think that they'd make her a great pianist. I was a little angry that I couldn't see her face, but I'm sure it was perfect, just like the rest of her. "What would it be like to be that flawless?" I wondered to myself.

As I wandered off in thought again, the wolves began to move, slowly inching their way towards us. For some reason, I felt calm. I wasn't really worried at all. I mean honestly, how much worse could it get? After that day, I fully believed that those words had magic power. At that moment, the large russet wolf leapt towards the mystery woman and me. She threw me to the ground and I lessened the fall with my hands, always a bad idea. The pain in my wrist was staggering, but I rolled over to watch what happened. There were more wolves now. I guess they had come up behind us when the other had jumped. Create a distraction: always effective. At this point, a full out battle was going on. The woman however, fought relentlessly. She took hits that would have killed anyone else. I was too overwhelmed to help. What was going on?

Eventually however, the woman could fight them off no longer. She went down and at that's when a wolf turned for me. It was that same reddish brown wolf that had been haunting me the past few days. It leapt upon me and I fought for all I was worth, but I was no match for the mass of strength and fur that covered me. I gave up and tried to understand what was going on. The forest filled with the most horrible noise I have ever heard, a drastic change from the melodious voice that still echoed in my head. It was the sound of rocks being torn apart, metal being scraped into powder. It was unbearable, though it would've been much worse had I not been shielded somewhat. I smelled smoke and felt panic rising up in me once more. I began to struggle again, and again, I proved unable to budge the massive creature. Eventually, the pressure lifted and I stood up slowly, but when I looked around everything was gone: the woman, the wolves, the fire. All that was left was a tiny scorch mark and me.

I tried to make out the sounds of the party so as to get my bearings, but in the end, I just decided to follow some footprints and hope they were mine. Bella was awake by the time I got back but she was still shaking violently. Jacob stood, holding her in apparently a failed attempt to soothe her. She was mumbling something to herself, but it was so slurred and soft I doubted if even Jacob could hear her. I strolled over, trying to appear as casual as possible. Jacob nodded up at me, but was clearly preoccupied with his unrequited love. I didn't care though. I had questions that needed answering.

"Where did you go?" I asked with more accusation than was probably necessary.

"We were out of punch," he answered coolly, eyes flashing, a warning to stop, a blatant lie.

"So, you got more from the forest?" I fired back.

"You don't keep punch in the forest?" This was getting nowhere and I had no means of coercing him into telling me. He very obviously had not been getting punch. Goodness, that didn't even make sense. I swear he picked that lie just to spite me, to shove it in my face that he knew something very important that I didn't. "I hate you, Jacob Black," I muttered under my breath, very Bella-esque. I turned my attention to the girl leaning heavily upon Jacob. "Are you ready to go?" I asked her. Bella's hollow eyes looked up. I decided in that instant, that it was time for us to go. Jacob walked us back to my car and set the wraith-like figure in the passenger side.

"You keep her safe," he said, like I needed that command. This girl was in no position to do anything for herself. I drove off in a huff and Bella continued muttering. I turned off the AC and slowed to a stop. In the silence that enveloped the car, I was finally able to hear what she mumbled. It was a name, repeated over and over again: Edward.


	7. Truth Comes Out & Don't Stand So Close

Chapter Seven: The Truth Comes Out and Don't Stand So Close to Me

I helped Bella inside; evidently Charlie hadn't seen the incident and wasn't back from the party yet. She leaned on my shoulder as she hobbled to the couch. I knew I couldn't very well leave her with the state she was in, so I made my way to the kitchen and started to work on some tea. It was still relatively early-maybe eight thirty at the latest. I sensed that Bella wasn't in the mood for a chick-flick movie night, and so as I brought her a mug of hot tea, I flipped the TV onto a news station and put the volume on low; just something to fill the silence. Bella was staring into space. I didn't even think she was aware of my presence until, sipping her drink slowly, she whispered,

"Thank you." That was all that was said for a while-no 'you're welcome' necessary. As the quiet dragged on, I analyzed Bella. Some color had returned to her cheeks, I realized, and her eyes had some life back in them. Some. But still, she looked broken and beaten, like she had been abused not only by an external force but by herself as well. I closed my eyes, wondering what had happened to her. Finally, she broke me out of my reverie and she spoke again. "I'd like to tell you about someone." I raised my eyebrows, because I knew instantly this was the secret she had been running from.

"You don't have to." I protested. We had only just met, after all. She shook her head, not looking at me.

"I think it will help." She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and began. "His name is Ed…Edward Cullen." Kind of an unusual name, I thought, but I didn't comment. I got the impression that if she stopped speaking she wouldn't be able to make herself start again. "I love him. Loved him…I…I'm trying to get over him." Why? Some people look all their lives for love, so why was she trying to get over it? As if in answer to my internal question, she continued, "he left me. Said I wasn't good for him." She laughed with no humor. "Of course I wasn't good enough for him. He was beautiful and perfect and I'm just fragile and plain. I always knew that he was better than me, but I thought we had gotten past it. He loved me! He…._said _he loved me." Her voice was a mere whimper by the end, and she held her face in her hands. I'll just tell you now-I've never been the comforting type. Sorry, but it's just not my bit. So, I just watched her uncomfortably until she gazed up at me with a watery smile. "Your turn?" she forced a laugh.

"I suppose that's fair," I chuckled. Just as I was about to speak, a knock on the door interrupted us. "I've got it." I told Bella, because she still didn't seem to be in any shape to move. I flung open the door, and again was met by Jacob Black. "I'm seeing more of you than I'd care to." I muttered, letting him in. This wasn't my house after all, so I couldn't turn him away. He gave me no reply, just shoved past me.

"Bella?" he called anxiously. Her demeanor brightened instantly, even I could tell that, and an actual smile lit her face.

"I'm here, Jake." She replied, her voice rough. He ran to her faster than should be possible and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Um, Bella? I think I'm going to go home now." This whole romance thing was kind of making me nauseous. She twisted her head to look at me around Jacob's massive form.

"Don't be silly, Blakely. Stay." She was pleading with her eyes and I could tell she was only inviting me to stay so as not to hurt my feelings. I nodded to appease her, but I still couldn't stand to be in the same room. The living room was _way _too soap opera.

"Either of you hungry?" I asked, heading to the kitchen a second time. I didn't know about them, but I was starving.

"Sure!" Bella said, answering for Jake. I couldn't be positive, but he looked like he could eat a whole cow on his own and still be hungry, so I made enough spaghetti and meatballs to feed a small army. While I worked, I could hear soft murmurings from the living room, only not loud enough to make out actual words. I shook my head. It was obvious that it would be hard to be Bella's friend when Jacob was around. The almost silence in the kitchen gave me room to reflect on the night's events, mainly my near-death experience in the woods. It made me shudder to think of the venom in the perfect woman's voice and her unbreakable hold on my neck. She could have snapped it easily. It made me want to scream belatedly, because I hadn't screamed then, and I shivered violently for a few moments as I plated the food. When I turned around to put the dish on the table, I noticed Jacob leaning against the door frame, arms crossed. I wondered how long he had been there-too long, I'd bet. I dropped my eyes quickly and set the plate down before turning back around to tend to the dishes. I could still feel Jacob's eyes on me, but I refused to speak first.

"Are you alright?" he asked at last. I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Of course I'm alright; why wouldn't I be alright?" I replied too quickly. He chuckled.

"You just seem kind of freaked about something." he explained.

"Well what happened with Bella was kind of freaky." I could practically hear him nod.

"Yeah, it was. And speaking of that, I just wanted to thank you for taking care of her for a little while. I was…busy." I rolled my eyes.

"No need to thank me." I assured him, scrubbing the noodle pot with excessive force. "I did it because I wanted to. What were you doing anyway? That made you too busy for your girlfriend?" I knew they weren't together, but I just had to say it. I wanted a fight. I _wanted_ him to yell at me. So that I could feel normal again for a few seconds-not that I'm heartless, but that evening had been a little too emotional for my taste. Unfortunately, Jacob took a different approach.

"Is it really that obvious that I'm in love with her?" he said softly. Crap. I completely did not want to deal with this whole one sided love thing right now. I sighed, turned the pot upside down to let the water drip out, and faced Jacob.

"Not really. I'm just observant." I lied. He knew I wasn't being honest, but he smiled weakly regardless. "Where is Bella, by the way?"

"Went upstairs to shower."

"Oh." The conversation stopped for a moment and I made a decision. "Listen Jacob, we're both friends with Bella. Yes, you've known her longer, but I care about her, too…what I'm saying is, if we're all going to be spending time together, we need to get along. I'm new here and I don't need enemies." The truce wasn't premeditated, but it seemed to fit. He pretended to think about it for a moment before laughing and coming forward to shake my hand.

"I agree. Hello, I'm Jacob Black. Call me Jake." Chuckling, I shook.

"Blakely." He gripped my hand a little longer than required, and the general lack of space between us was making me uncomfortable. I carefully tugged my hand away and maneuvered around him. "Tell Bella I had to head home, will you?" Jacob frowned.

"Sure." I could tell he wanted to ask why I was leaving, but he didn't press me. He followed me to the door and opened it. I stopped short on the porch.

"You know, Jake, this whole friendship thing means you're going to have to start being honest with me." Then I left him with that thought to ponder.

I had a horrible night of sleep after that. It took me far too long to fall asleep, and even then I dreamed of wolves.

**thanks for reading! i promise the next update won't take so long. review!**


	8. Didn't See That Coming

Chapter 8: Well I Certainly Didn't See That Coming

The next morning came much too soon. I woke up tired and cranky, fully planning to just eat some breakfast and go back to sleep. I rolled out of bed and made my way down the stairs. As I poured myself a bowl of cereal, I thought about the previous night: what Bella had said, my truce with Jacob, how uncomfortable he still made me.

Gah, what was it about him? If I had been honest with myself, I might have thought it had to do with how attractive he was. However, I quickly discounted that theory and decided it had to do with all the mystery that surrounded him. I thought back to the first night I had met him on the beach and his bipolar mood swings. The weirdest thing was how he had left Bella-the girl he is in love with- when she passed out. I couldn't think of any reason that he would do that. Maybe my threat-ultimatum-thing would convince him to be honest with me; I was sure there was more to him than he was letting on.

I finished my cereal and put my bowl in the sink. I knew I'd end up washing it later; it's not like my parents ever did anything. I noticed they had taken the time to write a note to me before heading out for the day. _You came home late last night. We were worried. Hope you made it back okay. Enjoy your day._ Seriously? What possessed them to even bother? I'm sure they were really worried. But whatever, it's the thought that counts or some crap like that. I decided against answering them back on the note and took it down, crumpled it, and threw it against a wall to add that angst-ridden teen vibe and generally make sure they got the hint when _they_ decided to get home.

Upstairs, I crawled back into bed, pulled the covers up over my head and tried to fall back asleep. I would've been successful if someone- Jacob- hadn't freaking texted me. "Beach?" was all it said. In an impressive show of good faith and an extreme amount of effort on my part, I responded to the text: "When?"

Less than an hour later, I was sitting on a rock at La Push.

"Is anyone else coming?" I asked, not really sure of what I wanted. Other people would definitely help lessen the awkwardness. We had only made up last night and certainly weren't close enough to spend a day at the beach together alone.

"Maybe. Why? Do I make you _uncomfortable_?" Jacob-Jake, Jake, Jake smirked. He told me to call him Jake, but that was going to take some getting used to. Jacob seemed so much more formal than Jake, so much safer and distance keeping.

"Not particularly," I answered. "Though, you certainly have your moments." He chuckled, and I found myself smiling with him. Maybe I had been mistaken; there certainly didn't seem to be any hostility on his part. "When did you fall in love with Bella?" I asked, thinking of last night.

"Ha, Bella and I go way back. We were friends as kids and then she moved away when her parents divorced. That was hard, but there are plenty of guys here and I didn't really think about her until I heard she was coming back. I got really excited for some reason, more than I should have been, probably. I fixed up her truck and took it to her with my dad. When I saw her again, I guess that's when it happened. I just kind of, I don't know, saw her and like all the times from when I was kid and I wanted to talk to her, all the time I spent working on her car and wondering what seeing her again would be like, just kind of rushed up, and so I guess it was then," he said. I was surprised by how honest he had been. I had half expected him to just make something up or be really evasive and say something really vague or super cliché. Oh, first impressions, they can definitely screw you over. "What's the deal with your family?"

"What's the deal with my family? Oh lord, how much time do you have? My parents chase legends: big foot, la chupacabra, anything that only the wildly superstitious believe. They move me around every time they realize, once again, they were wrong. I leave all my friends and come to a new place, just to leave a year or so later. It's been _great," _I stopped myself before it turned into a full out rant. We were getting close, but I didn't think it was time for me to go dumping all of my worries and insecurities about my home life on him just yet. "Honestly though, it could be a lot worse."

"I suppose it could, but is that really how you should think about your family? That it could be worse?" He asked.

"No, but that's what I have and I don't really see that changing anytime soon," I snapped. Seriously though, I was not ready to have him prying into my private life. He was trying to skip like fifteen friend levels. I decided to change the subject, that is, avoid talking about myself. "Where did you really go yesterday when Bella passed out?"

"Into the forest, like I said," he answered, matching my terseness.

"Getting punch, really?" I asked, remembering the reason from yesterday.

"You just asked where I went. I told you, truthfully. I went into the forest. It's not my fault you ask bad questions," he responded, with that condescending, but oddly attractive smirk of his.

"Fine. What did you do in the forest?" _How's that for a bad question?_

Apparently, it was pretty good because he looked to be struggling with himself. Honestly, it wasn't that hard of a question. He went into the forest yesterday. He obviously remembered that. When he went, he did something. I'm sure he also remembered that. He just had to say it out loud. Not that difficult.

He took off his shirt. I knew what he was doing. He was trying to distract me with his six-pack and tanned skin and incredible hotness. It wasn't going to work."Let's swim. It is a beach after all." How could I argue with that logic and those abs? I got into my swimsuit and followed him down to the water.

The water was cool, but not unbearable. We swam out to the sandbar a couple of times, raced once- I got beat so badly that we didn't do that again, and generally played until the sun started to go down.

"It's getting late," I said, "and I'm kind of hungry." I hadn't eaten anything since that bowl of cereal this morning.

"Do you want to come eat with me? At Emily's?" he asked casually. I guess we were that close now.

"Sure, it's not like my parents are expecting me any time soon," I answered. I was beginning to like spending time with him. Jake wasn't as moody as Bella, wasn't as aloof as my parents, and generally more attractive than anyone else I had met. Why not? "Do you want to drive or shall I?"

"It's your car. I walked here."

"Then, I guess I'll drive. Just tell me how to get where we're going."

I quickly found out that Jake was horrible at giving directions. He wouldn't tell me to turn until we were on it, so I'd have to go and circle back. I mocked him shamelessly and of course, he blamed it all on my bad driving. It felt so great, having a friend who seemed so much stronger than me, not all caught up with crazy teenage drama. We drove past all the houses up to Emily's. We got out and I could already smell the food. A crowd of boys was waiting inside.

"I can't remember if you've met Emily, but try not to stare, okay?" Jake whispered as we stepped onto the porch. I nodded in response as he opened the door. The guys all turned to look, saw me, and then let Jake have it.

"How many girls do you have?"

"Jake: getting all the ladies."

"Another girl who can't get enough of the werewolves."

Jake whirled around to the last one who spoke. "Paul, what are you talking about? That doesn't even make sense." He looked back at me. Apparently the look on my face wasn't satisfactory. I'm not going to lie; it was still a mix of confusion, shock, and suspicion. All things he probably didn't want to see. Emily turned around, showing deep scars on her otherwise flawlessly gorgeous face.

"Now you've done it," she said. "Well, we might as well eat anyway. Sam will be back soon, by the way." She glanced knowingly at the boys, with a little bit of scolding mixed in. I could tell, if I made it through this already awkward encounter, I would probably like her. "Jake, are you going to introduce your lovely friend?" I flushed. Even with the scars, Emily was beautiful. She had dark hair and smooth tan skin. Her eyes were clear and piercing. She had that kind of quiet confidence that I'd always admired. I'm guessing she was just being polite. My hair was still stringy from the beach, and I could still feel the salt clinging to my arms and legs. I'm sure I was quite lovely.

"This is Blakely. She just moved here a few days ago. She came to that party, if any of you remember," Jake replied.

"Aww, Jakey and Blakely sitting in a tree," one of the boys said.

"Aww, shut up," snapped Jake. Good one I thought to myself, but I didn't say it. He was taking enough heat already. "These _boys_ are Paul, Quil, Embry, and Seth." I waved sheepishly at them. They all had that tan skin and dark hair that I was starting to see a lot of.

"Paul. Quil. Embry. Seth," I pointed to each of them in turn, smiling and trying to reclaim this meal from the awkwardness that threatened to overwhelm us. "It's nice to meet you."

"What are we having?" Quil? No, Embry asked. At this point, I didn't really care. I decided to speak up.

"Does it even matter? It smells delicious, and I'm hungry enough to eat a horse. From the looks of you, you could probably eat two," I said laughing.

"Oh, burn," Paul mocked, laughing too hard for the moment, but it didn't matter. The tension was melting away, and we were all feeling more at ease. Light conversation started up. The guys made room for us at the table. By that I mean, Jake pulled up more chairs and they got out of his way.

"Sit," Jake offered, which I gladly accepted. I answered questions about the places I had lived before, what I had done with my summer, what I would do once school started. They told me about themselves and what they liked to do.

"Cliff-diving. It's such a rush. We probably do it at least a few times a month. You should come with us. You wouldn't have to do it if you didn't want to, but it's kind of fun to watch."

"Yea, I'd like that. Not that there's really much else to do in Forks. I don't know how you do it: the rain, the gloom, the lack of people. I'm pretty sure if my parents didn't make me, I would not stay here."

"I mean, for us, it's like a culture thing, tradition, and family, you know?"Seth, the young one, chimed in. "It's like all of that doesn't really matter when you think about all that there is to gain."

"And what is there to gain?" I asked, not sarcastically, but genuinely curious.

"Community," he answered simply. I looked away, contemplating his answer. Had I ever been in a community? I'd seen them, sure, but had I ever stayed one place long enough to really feel a part of it? No, and here they had experienced it more deeply than I could imagine.

"Food's ready," Emily announced as she placed platters of meat, rice and beans on the table. She grabbed some bread off the counter and set it on the table next to the rest of the meal. She put plastic forks and paper plates on the table and it was all over. The guys erupted in a mass of grabbing hands and passing platters. Soon they all had heaping plates, full of food. I waited for my chance and managed to get food as well. "You could've let Blakely get food first," Emily commented.

"That would've been sexist," Quil laughed. "Besides, she has food now. All's well that ends well, right?"

"Absolutely," I said, helping him out. Then I went back to shoveling food in my face. It was so good. Everything was seasoned perfectly and as cheesy as it sounds, I could taste the love. When was the last time I had a home cooked meal, that wasn't made by me? Not any time in recent memory.

When we had finished, Sam still hadn't turned up, and by then, it really was getting late. Emily began to show signs of strain, and looked worried. "I think I'm going to head out," I said. "I've had a great time. It was really nice to meet all of you. Maybe you could all make it out to where I stay sometime. It probably wouldn't be as good, but I can hold my own in the kitchen." The guys all said they'd definitely come and I left feeling happy and content.

Jake followed me out to my car. "About that werewolves thing- you should go talk to Bella," he suggested. I didn't understand why he was bringing that up. I'd almost forgotten to be honest. The earnestness on his face told me I should take him seriously.

"All right, I'll probably see her tomorrow." I leaned back against my car and he took a step forward. He put a hand on my shoulder, and I remembered that I had hated him not two days ago. I smiled to myself and didn't move. "And when will I see you again?" I asked in a purely friendly way.

"After you talk to Bella, you may not want to. I guess we'll see," he answered, sliding his hand down my arm, grabbing my hand. He pulled me into a hug. "Good night, Blakely. Text me when you get home?" It was weird to have someone show actual concern for me. I could certainly get used to that.

"Will do," I smiled, trying to lighten the mood that had suddenly become rather serious and a little to romantic for my taste. I turned to get into my car. "Night, Jake." He held on to my door, not letting me leave, which I kind of wanted to do at this point..

"Good night, Blakely," he said softly.

I laughed, "You said that already."

Then he kissed me.

He closed the door and stepped back before I could comment. He waved, and I drove back home, confused and incredibly happy.


	9. Annoying Parents

Chapter Nine: Annoying Parents and [A] Hot Quileute[s]

The drive home took me a good twenty minutes, and I spent a decent-sized portion of it reliving my split-second kiss with Jake. It had been quick, almost too short to mean anything. Almost.

But I was so confused. Just today we had been talking about Jacob's unwavering devotion and love for Bella. And then the kiss had happened, and now I had no idea what it meant. I hadn't kissed back, had I? I couldn't remember. I felt like I had a hangover as I stumbled inside the house to see the message light beeping on the phone. I pushed the talk button.

"Hi, Sweetie! It's Mom and Dad. We were just calling to let you know that we've been pushed back in our work here and are staying the night. We'll see you tomorrow evening! You can fend for yourself until then, right?" the voicemail ended and I rolled my eyes. Typical parents. Though, it was not typical _me _as I felt myself beginning to cry.

"Stupid Forks!" I half-yelled, half-sobbed, kicking the wall. And stupid Jacob for getting me all emotional and crap. I sighed and wiped my eyes. I didn't really believe that Jacob was stupid, but I was in serious need of some sleep and a hot shower. As I trudged upstairs, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I shut it off, not in the mood to talk to anyone. I bathed quickly, pulled on some pajamas, and passed out.

I woke up the next day around eleven, feeling surprisingly happy and well-rested, considering the mood I had gone to bed in the night before. I got up and dressed in comfortable clothing, planning on walking to Bella's for some exercise. When I was ready, I snagged my cell phone and an apple and was on my way. Fortunately, the day wasn't too rainy and I enjoyed the walk.

I turned my phone back on as I went and noticed…_12 missed calls _and _8 text messages. _I knew immediately who they were from and I was mentally kicking myself. I was supposed to text Jacob when I made it home last night. Crap. I rubbed my forehead and decided to contact him after I had talked to Bella. Jake had been freaking me out with all that "after you talk to Bella you may not want to see me again" nonsense. I sighed, and knocked on Bella's door. It opened almost instantly.

"Blakely!" she said brightly, welcoming me in. She gestured for me to have a seat on the couch while she began dialing the phone.

"Who are you-?" I began, but she held up her pointer finger as she began to speak.

"Yes, Jake, she's here and she's alive… No, not yet. I will…bye." She hung up and turned to face me with a soft smile. I hung my head in my hands.

"Oh, Gosh, has he been calling you, too?" I moaned. I felt her come sit beside me and stroke my hair gently. I looked up.

"Yes. He was worried when you didn't text him last night. And then he was muttering something about 'being an idiot' and 'what was I thinking'. I'm not sure what that was about…Look, are you avoiding him?"

"Of course I'm not. Yesterday was just very exhausting, so I shut my phone off as soon as I got home and went to sleep. I completely forgot I promised to let him know when I made it home." I explained. Bella, always observant, pointed with her head to my phone which sat on the coffee table. The missed calls and texts were clearly evident on the screen. Bella was silently asking me why I hadn't contacted him this morning. "Well…," I started slowly. "He said something about werewolves and me not wanting to talk to him anymore. I wanted to hear what you had to say before I spoke to him again." She nodded, understanding.

"I guess I should tell you now, then." She told me quietly. I remained silent. "The Quileutes are supposedly descended from…wolves. Their ancestors turned into werewolves, the natural enemy of vampires."

"And?" I prodded when she didn't continue. This all sounded like fairy tales to me. Bella shook her head, as if to clear it and moved on.

"They all thought it was a myth, but when…vampires recently came to town, the young boys started shifting into wolves." She whispered the last word and I gasped, coming to a conclusion all by myself. The wolves that had saved me in the forest…they were really Quileute boys. And the one wolf in particular…the russet colored one…Jake. Oh, God. This meant that not only was I possibly or possibly not attracted to a werewolf, but this also meant that my parent's quest for vampires wasn't useless. There were really vampires here. And my parents were _right. _I gasped and, taking a cue from Bella, passed out.

When I came to, Bella was lightly stroking my hair again.

"You okay?" she asked. I nodded and sat up, rubbing my forehead.

"Sorry, that was just a lot to take in."

"I understand."

"So…you still spend time with them? They aren't dangerous?" I checked. She gave me a weak smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Obviously not." She told me lightly.

"I should go talk to him now, huh?" I asked. Bella shrugged.

"Probably." I was about to leave when I remembered something.

"Bella, I need to tell you something." I said hesitantly from the doorway. She stood and joined me.

"What's up?"

"I know that you two aren't together, technically…but I feel like you almost have some sort of claim on him…so I feel like I should tell you…," I paused, and looked down. "Jacob kissed me," I mumbled. I felt Bella come and put her hands on my shoulders. I looked up.

"Blakely, I'm in love and will always be in love with…Edward. Jacob is and will always be my best friend. I know you just moved here, but you've already helped me so much and I can see us becoming good friends. Nothing would make me happier than to see you and Jake together."

I liked the way she had said 'you and Jake together', but I knew we weren't.

"Thank you, Bella." I told her earnestly. I hugged her, feeling only a little awkward, and with a wave I turned and walked home to freshen up and drive to La Push.

I was anxious as I drove, and I found myself tapping the wheel impatiently. I went to the Blacks' house first; Billy told me that Jacob was at the beach, so I headed there. As I parked, I could see him out on the sand, facing away from me. I sighed, cut the ignition, and walked slowly over to him.

"Hello, Jacob." I said quietly. He turned to me in surprise. I guess he had been too caught up in his thoughts to hear my approach.

"You're here." He stated simply. I nodded and felt the corners of my mouth turn up.

"Yeah, I'm here, Jake." I assured him. He ran a hand through his hair.

"And she told you?"

"Yes." He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you scared?" he asked seriously.

"No. You guys saved me the other night. Why would I be afraid of you?" Jake looked away.

"I don't know." I sighed and put a hand on his arm, waiting until he turned to face me again.

"Look, I didn't come here to talk about what you are or…what you become. I can accept that."

"What did you come here to talk about then?" his voice was deep and hollow; he sounded angry. I suddenly wasn't sure I wanted to discuss this just now. I looked at my feet.

"Last night." I whispered, suddenly embarrassed. I was overwhelmed again by how much I wanted to leave Forks. It was turning me into a different person; I couldn't hide behind my tough exterior here.

I heard Jacob mutter a swear word. "Sorry about that. I don't know what I was thinking…," I glanced up to see his face; I could tell that he was torturing himself, thinking I was upset with him.

"Jake, I'm not mad."

"You just don't feel the same way I do- I figured." He finished, shoving his hands in his pockets. I cocked my head, confused.

"And which way is that? Just yesterday we were talking about how much you love Bella."

I sat down and Jake followed suit. He gave me a sad smile. "You and I both know that Bella will never love me back."

"So I'm the back up plan?" I teased. He looked horrified and hurried to correct me.

"No, no, no! That's not it. It's like…before you came, I was consumed by Bella and I thought she was all I'd ever wanted. And then you got here, and you were…beautiful and honest and you saw right through everything I did and said." He chuckled. "And I realized that although I will always love Bella," he paused to look at me intently. "I'm in love with _you_, not her."

My mouth dropped open. I had been in Forks for how long now? I couldn't remember. Even though it felt like a long time, I knew it could only have been a few days. And Jake was saying he was in love with me.

"I don't know what to say." I replied honestly. On the one hand, I was not in love with Jacob. On the other hand, I could see myself starting to get there. Fast. He looked away.

"I knew it. It's okay, you don't have to say anything." I could hear the sadness in his voice and it nearly broke my heart-I was growing more sensitive here than I cared to be.

"Jake, you're misunderstanding me. I'm not trying to tell you that I don't like you or care for you, because that would be complete bull. I'm just saying that I can't tell you that I love you yet." I explained. He turned back to me and flashed a beautiful smile.

"Yet?" he asked, taking my hand. Butterflies hammered through my chest.

"Yet," I confirmed. He leaned toward me and I worried for a second that he was going to kiss me again. Not that I had anything against kissing Jake, mind you, it was just that I wasn't even sure what we were, and I'm not the kind of girl to just go around kissing really hot Quileute boys I'm not dating-no matter how enjoyable it may be. But much to my relief and comfort, he gathered me into a hug and I felt him press his lips softly to my head. When he released me a few minutes later, we both stood.

"I should be heading home. My parents will probably be back soon." I brushed the sand off of my shorts as I got a crazy idea. "You should come with me! Come…meet the parents, have dinner." I wasn't sure what I was thinking with this, but it sounded about right.

"Are you serious?" he ran his hand through his hair; a nervous habit, I noticed.

"Of course. I mean, if you want to." He laughed at my response.

"I would love to."

The drive home was full of laughs. We jokingly sang along to cheesy r&b songs and poked fun at each other. The sarcastic remarks never went away either. Strangely, it just felt like I had known Jacob forever.

We walked in as the phone was ringing. I picked it up cheerfully, and Jake followed me.

"Hello?"

"Blakely, honey. We're sorry-," Mom began and I knew.

"Really? Again?" I growled through clenched teeth. I exhaled sharply. "Save your apologies. When will you be home?"

"Um…a couple days?" she said quietly; I could hear the surprise in her tone at my hostility. I so rarely showed emotion when it came to my parents.

"Fine." I hissed and hung up, slamming the phone on the counter. I brought my hands to my face to hide hot, unwelcome tears. I hated this.

"Blakely…?" Jake asked hesitantly. I glanced up, having almost forgotten he was there. I turned away quickly and began busying myself with making dinner.

"Oh, um. I'm sorry, it turns out my parents can't make it. You can stay or I can take you home if you want…it doesn't really matter." I swiped angrily at my eyes. I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind and I jumped a little, startled.

"Blakely, I'll stay." He told me as if it was obvious (which it wasn't). After a pause he said quietly, "do you want to talk about it?" I immediately began shaking my head and I heard Jacob sigh. "You can trust me." He promised.

"I know. I just…don't want to think about it anymore tonight." I answered. I finished up our sandwiches.

"Okay." Jake kissed the top of my head again and then released me. I turned and handed him a sandwich.

"Hope these are okay." I shrugged, biting into mine. He bit off half of his in one take.

"They're perfect." he said; his voice was muffled because his mouth was full. I laughed, and seeing Jacob was going to need _way _more food, turned and made a few more sandwiches.

"Jacob?" I said while I worked.

"Yeah?"

"You know the whole…_wolf _thing?"

I heard an audible gulp. "Yes." His voice was quieter now- he was probably waiting for me to scream and run.

"How do you change?"

"Oh." He chuckled, obviously relieved. "Well when we transform for the first time, it's usually triggered by something that makes us angry. And then after we practice and learn control, we can kind of turn it on and off. Although, if we get mad enough…it just sort of happens."

"Really? No full moon?" I joked. He grinned and shook his head.

"It's funny, I had almost this exact same conversation with Bella when she first found out." He said.

"Am I a lot like her?" I asked, the question coming to me on the spot. "When she's not overcome with grief, I mean."

Jacob thought for a moment. "Not at all." He didn't elaborate further and I didn't ask for more information. Instead, I just turned, handed Jake a sandwich, and went back to chewing thoughtfully on my own.

"Jake?" I asked again.

"Hmm?" he grunted, lost in his sandwiches. I rolled my eyes.

"This is nice." I commented, trying to work up the nerve to say what I really wanted to. "Are-?" I tried, but then stopped, shaking my head. Jacob's chewing slowed; he set his sandwich down and walked back over to me.

"You can ask me anything." He told me, gazing into my eyes with too much intensity-it was unfair. I couldn't think straight with his dark eyes persuading me like that.

"Are…," I steeled myself with a deep breath and went for it. "Are we dating…like boyfriend-girlfriend?" The question sounded so elementary school and I was suddenly embarrassed again. I looked down (really, who was this stranger who had invaded my body? I had never been this shy before). I felt Jacob slide his hands around my waist and lean his forehead against mine. This whole thing had happened so fast it was making me dizzy. It was like one second we had agreed to not hate each other and the next we were kissing. I almost forgot that I had asked a question until Jacob answered.

"If you want us to be." He told me quietly.


End file.
